Hero's Choice
by JME2
Summary: While investigating a suspicious warehouse, Terry is thrown back in time to the night Robin was kidnapped by the Joker (as seen in the flashback from ROTJ). 5th Chapter is FINALY up; please review!!!
1. Investigations and Deliberations

Disclaimer: Batman Beyond and the characters are owned by Warner Brothers and are   
based on characters appearing in DC Comics. I own the story and any original characters.   
No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Hero's Choice: Part I  
  
It was another typical Saturday night in Gotham City. The overcrowded streets were   
bustling, the teenagers were at their nightclubs…And the Batman was out on patrol,   
wishing he could join them.  
  
"How much longer," he said out loud.  
  
"Another hour at least" replied the gruff voice from the suit's inner comm. It had taken   
time, but Terry had grown used to the hearing the dark, brooding voice of Bruce Wayne,   
chairman of Wayne Enterprises and the original Batman, inside the cowl.  
  
"I knew that. It's just that Dana-" started Terry.  
  
"One more hour, McGinnis," replied Wayne.  
  
"All right. I'll concentrate around Gotham Harbor until then. That area's been too quiet   
lately." Terry spread his the suits wings and with a touch to the foot sensitive pad,   
activated the rocket boots. He had closed his eyes for a moment as the first sensations of   
flight hit him. And then he was off.  
  
Suddenly, a beep went off from inside the cowl. Wayne was signaling him again. He bit   
down and activated the comm. "Yeah Wayne?"  
  
"We've got a call from the Warehouse district."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"A neighbor reported suspicious lights from a supposedly abandoned building. It's worth   
looking into."  
  
Terry shrugged. "Could be just be a homeless person-"  
  
"I said it's worth checking out, McGinnis."  
  
Terry sighed. "Yes boss."   
  
H altered his aerial flight path and once again was off.  
  
***  
  
The Tomorrow Knight looked over the warehouse from his position. It was fairly typical   
storage building, probably built back around the turn of the century. Now, it was   
crumbling and falling apart.  
  
Like all of Gotham was until two years ago when I came along.  
  
"Alright, I'm going in."  
  
Terry leapt down off the building. He turned a hand to the suit's utility belt and activated   
the cloaking device. The inside appeared normal and once again, almost dismissed it as   
another foolish investigation.  
  
Well, under normal circumstances it might have if there hadn't been a giant metallic   
gateway in the center of the warehouse. On its sides were wires and computer terminals.   
  
"Ever seen anything like this?" he asked.  
  
Wayne was silent for a moment. Then several seconds.  
  
"Boss?" asked Terry. He was worried that Wayne's heart was acting up again. True, his   
mentor was in the best of health. But still, it was that heart problem that had caused him   
to retire 20 years earlier. And what allowed me to accidentally find the Batcave.  
  
Wayne's gruff voice finally came back on. "Is it possible-Terry look at the registry-see if   
it has the WayneTech logo on it."  
  
Terry frowned. What the hell does WayneTech have do with this? "Alright, I'll-"  
  
There was a sudden crackling of electricity and the gate blared to light  
  
-and then there was nothing…  
  
***  
  
"Ugh," groaned Terry as he came to. It was pitch black-no, correction. The suit had just   
been knocked out. There was a silent whir as it restarted. The visor was fuzzy for a few   
seconds as it readjusted to the light.  
  
Terry took in his surroundings. He was still in the warehouse, but it was different. The   
gateway and technologies were gone and the warehouse seemed to be newer and in better   
condition. This is weird. Better check in with Wayne.  
  
He activated the comm. "You there, boss? Boss? Wayne?" No answer. Terry was really   
starting to get worried now. First things first, better get out of here. He activated the boot   
jets and rocketed out of the window-  
  
-only to nearly drop at the sight that caught his eye. The vast jungle of and amalgam of   
steel and concrete was gone. Well, technically it was still there. But everything was   
different. The Wayne-Powers (correction, Wayne Enterprises) was smaller and more old   
fashioned. The vast gleaming skyscrapers of tomorrow were gone with the skyscrapers of   
late twentieth century. Not it can't be. A scrap of newspaper that he spotted laying on the   
street, however, confirmed it. The date was June 29-2001.  
  
  
It was still Gotham City. But not the Gotham City he knew. It was the Gotham of the   
past. The Gotham of Bruce Wayne. The Gotham of the original Batman.  
  
The implications of this immediately hit Terry. Time Travel. Just great. As much as I   
would love to see Wayne in his prime, I've-"   
  
A sound from above startled him. His hand immediately went for the cloaking device   
dial. His jaw nearly dropped in amazement once again as he saw a young teen dressed on   
red and black tights and a cape land on the building opposite to him. It was the Robin.  
  
Terry activated the suit's binocular vision. Judging from the look of the boy and from the   
archives he'd viewed on the main computer back in the cave, it could only be-  
  
"Tim Drake" He whispered. Robin suddenly looked around, curious almost as if he had-  
heard something…  
  
Terry immediately went silent and rigid. He remembered how, after the returned Joker   
had attacked Wayne, he had gone to Drake, wanting to see if the man with the most likely   
connection to the Joker's-death, knew anything. He remembered how Drake, though old   
and out of shape, had still been able to hear him coming thanks to Bruce's training.  
  
And of course, he's in his prime, now. Better be more careful if-  
  
"Help! Help!" Robin turned towards a nearby alleyway and was suddenly gone.  
  
Terry frowned for a moment. There was something disturbingly familiar about this   
scenario and the date. I t was almost like…  
  
His heart froze. He knew the significance of this date. At least in the history of the   
Batman. But once again, he needed to be sure. He silent ran across the rooftop-and saw   
his worst fears confirmed.  
  
Robin had just taken down two muggers…only to be knocked out with a mallet by none   
other than Harley Quinn.  
  
"Got him Mr. J!"  
  
A figure came out of the shadows of the building, his grinning face, his pale complexion,   
and purple suit instantly-and terrifyingly- familiar. It was the original Clown Prince of   
crime. It was the Joker.  
  
The Joker looked at Robin and chuckled. " A bird in the hand means a bat in the bush!   
HAHAHAHA"  
  
Terry's blood froze at the sound of that voice and laughter. It had been a year since he   
had last heard it, back when the genetic microchip that the Joker had implanted into   
Drake forty years earlier had reactivated. He sight of Drake's transformation was still   
burned into his mind.  
  
But that was no longer then. It was now. Or at least, was would become now.  
  
Terry had been transported back in time to the night that his mentor's greatest enemy had   
kidnapped the Boy Wonder. Barbara's story was flashing through his mind again. The   
torture of Tim Drake and the last time that Robin had ever flown.  
  
And I can prevent it all right here and now. But if I do, I risk disrupting the timeline and   
the history of Batman. But if I do nothing, then Drake will have to endure it all over   
again.  
  
In that moment, all of Bruce's moral and ethical training failed him. What do I do?   
  
What would Batman do?  
  
To be continued…  
  
(Sorry, but I just love to tease people with cliffhangers.) 


	2. Actions and Reactions

Disclaimer: Batman Beyond and the characters are owned by Warner Brothers and are   
based on characters appearing in DC Comics. I own the story and any original characters.   
No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Hero's Choice: Part II  
  
"What would Batman do?"  
  
The Tomorrow Knight closed his eyes, sighing.  
  
He would save lives. In any way and in any form.   
  
Terry turned from his thoughts and watched the scene unfolding beneath him, knowing   
that he only had seconds to act as the Joker and Harley gloated over their prize. "Here   
goes nothing," he thought, desperately praying that he knew what he was doing.   
Spreading the suit's wings, he leapt.  
  
***  
The Joker was ecstatic; in his hands was possibly the key to his never ending   
quest to drive the Dark Knight over the edge. "Look at him Harley; cute in an old kind of   
way, but wait till the J-man gets through with him!" He began giggling uncontrollably-  
  
-when a dark shadow passed over him and Harley. He looked up-  
  
-and Terry was on him, knocking the Ace of Knaves to the ground and glared at him in   
the dark, cold manner that Bruce had taught him. The Joker just looked back, the   
confusion evident in his eyes. Finally, he spoke.  
  
"If Eddie were here, I'm sure he's crack up some annoying ditty, like 'what is a bat, but   
not a bat.'" However, in this case, I'm just tempted to say, HARLEY!!!!!" The Harlequin   
of Hate's lover immediately raised her mallet over the Batman's head...  
  
...just as he vanished into thin air.  
  
"Uh, Mr. J?"  
  
***  
Despite all the seriousness of the situation, Terry couldn't help but grin-he was loving   
every moment of this. The most sadistic of the original Batman's foes-not counting Ra's   
al Ghul- was out of his wits as to what he had just encountered-or would encounter   
depending on a temporal view of the situation..   
  
  
  
"Then again, he's always been out of his wits, but its good to know." Enough time for   
fun; time to get work. Terry tugged on the pressure sensitive micro-levers in the suit's   
gauntlets and fired a Bat-bola at Harley. She went down screaming before Terry silenced   
her with a kick to the mouth.  
  
Now, it was just the Joker standing in the alley, sweat pouring down from his face, and   
the first real look of fear that had crossed his face in over ten years after the botched   
robbery at Axis Chemicals-just before his toxic bath.  
  
"Well, well. The Clown Prime of Crime. The Harlequin of Hate. The Ace of Knaves.   
Bah. In the big scheme of things, it's all pathetic. Just like you."  
  
The Joker drew back, his courage returning through anger at the sound of this brash voice   
mocking him. He drew out at his gun and began firing round after round into the shadows   
at that voice. "Who are you?!!" he shrieked as his clip clicked empty.  
  
***  
  
There was silence.  
  
Then a jab to the head and chest, and the Joker was down. The air above him swirled and   
Terry rematerialized. He stared down at the clown's crumpled form.  
  
"I'm Batman," he simply stated as he tore open a compartment on his belt and pulled out   
a pair of Bat-cuffs for both of them.  
  
"I'm Batman-how lame is that?" He grinned; it had been a valuable lesson of Bruce's to   
incorporate psychological terror into his persona. The Bat-suit had helped out, but he had   
lately been experiment with his personality. It was actually fun to try it out on some of his   
enemies, like Blight, Inque, and Mad Stan, but-  
  
There was a moan from behind him. Drake was stirring. Terry walked over to the second   
Boy Wonder and knelt down.  
  
***  
  
"What the hell hit me?" though Drake as the blackness started to fade. He looked up and   
his jaw dropped at the sight of the fallen Joker and Harley. But what had startled him   
even more was the sight of what appeared to be his mentor hovering over him.  
  
Tim frowned and then winced at the pain it caused. "I'll be lucky if that dammed clown   
didn't give me a concussion" he inwardly groaned. His attention quickly returned to the   
stranger in front of him.  
  
"Hold it! Who are you?! A Batman wannabe?" The man simply looked at him, grinned-  
  
-and suddenly spread wings-"Wings!?" though Drake- and soared into the sky. Tim tried   
to stand and follow him via Bat-grapple, but fell back, the pain caused by Harley's mallet   
overwhelming.  
  
He had enough strength to reach into one of the front compartments on his utility belt and   
pull out his radio transmitter.  
  
"Batman, this is Robin, do you copy?"  
  
There was a silence for a moment. Then his mentor's gruff voice came through. "Yes   
Tim, what is it?"  
  
Robin felt relief. "I'm on 4th and Madison-Joker and Harley are down; I've suffered a   
blow to the head, and-" he paused for a moment.  
  
"Tim, is everything all right?."   
  
He sighed. "Yes, but-just get over here; I'll explain them."  
  
***  
Two hours later, Tim lay in the Batcave's hospital ward with his robin costume at his   
side. He was sitting up in bed with bandages around his head. Bruce, still in costume, sat   
by him listening to the extraordinary events of the night.  
  
"-and so when I came to, I found Joker and Harley knocked out with Bat-cuffs on them   
and this stranger wearing some kind of Bat-suit just walked off. That's when I called   
you."  
  
Bruce finally spoke. "Strange. But then again, so is the night life in Gotham." He held up   
one of the Bat-cuffs that he had persuaded Commissioner Gordon to allow him to keep   
for examination. The commissioner had given him a queer look, but relented.  
  
"Well, from a preliminary examination, I can tell you that some rank amateur did not   
build this, I'd be tempted to say that I or Alfred built it. However, it's differences are   
highly evident. There are alloys in the cuffs' composition that I can't identify as well as   
this micro-circuitry that is similar to developmental projects at WayneTech."  
  
Bruce stood up. "In any event, Joker's been recaptured and there's one less sadist on the   
street. We should turn our attention to this "Batman"; try to find out who he is, why he's   
here-"  
  
"I believe the appropriate question would be, WHEN is he from?" And with that, the   
Tomorrow Knight shimmered into view.  
  
Into the view of the Dark Knight.  
  
To be Continued (I promise!!!) 


	3. Questions and Answers

Disclaimer: Batman Beyond and the characters are owned by Warner Brothers and are   
based on characters appearing in DC Comics. I own the story and any original characters.   
No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Hero's Choice: Part III  
  
Batman and Robin stood in shock at the young man who had materialized in front of   
them. "Br-er, Batman, it's him," Robin stated.  
  
So, this was the man who had rescued Tim from the Joker a mere two hours earlier.   
Bruce finally spoke. "Who are you? How did you get here?," he finally asked.  
  
There had been a number of accidental discoveries of the Batcave from the HARDAC   
incident to most recently Tim Drake-the last thing the Dark Knight wanted was another   
notch to be added to the list.   
  
"First off, don't get hysterical Bruce," the man said after a few moments.  
  
The Batman nearly swore under his breath, yet the same time wondered how he had   
figured out. It was most likely that he had overheard them talking. But still...he assumed   
his full height and glared at the newcomer.  
  
"You have ten seconds to explain how you came in here or else..."  
  
***  
Terry watched his future mentor with both fascination and caution. The only other time   
he had seen him in his prime was when a Ra's Al Ghul had possessed his daughter Talia   
and had lured the former Dark Knight into an attempt to rejuvenate Bruce's youth and   
then take over his conscious. The Tomorrow Knight had foiled the plan, but remembered   
all too well the ease with which Bruce had dispatched the Demon's head's guards...  
  
"Believe me, we shouldn't even be having this conversation Bruce, but I needed to see   
whether or not Robin was all right. But, I need your help."  
  
The Dark Knight just glared at him.  
  
And I thought it was bad enough in the future...  
  
"Believe me, this is more important then-aggh!!!!"  
  
An electrical surge had suddenly ripped through the Bat-suit. The last thing Terry saw   
was the original Batman rushing towards him-and then there was blackness...  
  
***  
"It's as I said, there's no match in the DNA records," said Batgirl as she looked up from   
the Batcomputer at Batman, now with his cowl off. "But he obviously isn't a stranger to   
cave," said the Dark Knight. "He was able to get around with the security system with   
ease. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible." He looked over at the   
examination table at the young man, clothed in a hospital gown and lying peacefully.  
  
Which brought up another point...  
  
"Anything of interest, Dick?" he asked as he gestured over at Bludhaven's Aerial   
Avenger, Nightwing. His former pupil was looking over the suit they had removed from   
'Batman'.  
  
Nightwing looked at. Normally, he wouldn't have come out to Gotham on such notice;   
Bludhaven was even worse than Gotham City and normally demanded his full attention   
as he fought to reclaim his new home. But when he had heard about the Joker's attempted   
kidnapping of the new Robin, he had instantly made an exception.  
  
"This is nothing short of amazing, Bruce. This suit is like nothing else I've ever seen.   
This is years ahead of it's time!"  
  
"Years ahead of its time," repeated Batman.   
  
"Yeah, the only thing that could match it would be stuff that's in development in both   
WayneTech and LexCorp," stated Barbara as she got up from the Batcomputer.  
  
"Actually, WayneTech." stated a voice from behind them.  
  
The Bat-team turned and saw the Terry was waking up.  
  
***  
Terry's head throbbed with waves of nausea. But he could stand it the pain. What he   
couldn't stand was four members of the generation that had built the legacy he had been   
carrying on for three years all looking at him.   
  
Batgirl finally spoke first. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Fine." Terry couldn't help but grin. The Barbara Gordon he knew had carried on in her   
father's footsteps as Gotham City's Police Commissioner. But unlike her predecessor,   
she disliked the role of the Dark Knight. Neither the Barbara nor Bruce had ever revealed   
the exact reasons of this hostility, but Terry suspected it might have had to do with their   
brief romantic interest in each other.  
  
He stared up past Nightwing and saw the future Batsuit lying on the table. Terry   
immediately groaned and leaned back in bed. "I was hoping you weren't going to look at   
that."  
  
The Batman stepped forward. "Well, we did and I think you owe us an explanation, Mr.-"  
  
"McGinnis. Terry McGinnis." He resisted the urge to throw in a slight Sean Connery   
impression. Now was not the time.  
  
"And from what you said earlier, I take I'm the only one whose identity you know, am I   
right?"  
  
Terry nodded again. Then a question came to his mind. "Well since you were looking at   
the suit, you might as well tell me what caused that electrical surge."  
  
Robin finally spoke up. "It's difficult to tell, given that amount of circuitry you have   
hooked into that thing, but it appears to have been caused by a wide variety of particles,   
including tachyons-"  
  
" Which, are produced as an after effect of temporal displacement, i.e. time travel,"   
finished Batgirl.  
  
Terry resisted the urge to groan again. Batman looked at him. "We are grateful that you   
saved Tim's life, but I still need to know why you're here. Or more specifically, when are   
you from."  
  
The Tomorrow Knight sighed. He had read enough about the cause-and-effect theory of   
time travel to know saving Tim had been bad enough, but telling the Bat-team about their   
future...  
  
Still, he had no choice. He needed to get back to his own time and he needed the help of   
the original Batman to do so.  
  
"Alright. I'd better start from the beginning..."  
  
To be Continued...  
  
Thanks for being patient. Next time, I won't wait nearly a month to update! 


	4. Arrivals and Departures

Batman Beyond is owned by Warner Brothers Entertainment. The characters are based upon those appear in DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane. I own the story and any original characters. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Hero's Choice: Part IV  
  
Terry sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. He looked around at Batman, Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl.  
  
"My name is Terry McGinnis. I'm, well as you no doubt have guessed, from the future."  
  
"How far into the future?" Nightwing inquired.  
  
"Forty years."  
  
There was a slight murmur from the first generation of the Bat family. Finally, Bruce broke the silence.  
  
"Why are you here? Does it have to do with Robin?"  
  
Terry sighed. Under normal circumstances, he would have used all of the tricks up his sleeve, both his own and the ones Bruce had taught him to avoid answering this question. But the future's already been changed because of me, so why not tell them thought Terry.  
  
"I'm here by accident.  
  
"By accident?" asked Batgirl.  
  
"Yes, that's right. By accident.  
  
"Then why-"  
  
"Did I save Tim Drake. Well, it was how shall we say, a spur of the moment decision.  
  
Batman starred at him.  
  
"Though I'm glad I did do it. Otherwise…"  
  
"Otherwise what?" quipped the original Dark Knight  
  
"Otherwise, Drake's kidnapping would more or less have destroyed the legacy of the Batman."  
  
***  
  
"It's like I've always said, the night brings out all of the wackos."  
  
Harvey Bullock stood devouring his usual nightly donut with fellow police officer Rene Montoya, watching as a squad of GCPD officers escorted the handcuffed and restrained Clown of Prince of Crime to the prison wagon that would take the Joker to the new Arkham Asylum.   
  
Harley Quinn had already been shipped off, but the Joker had struggled, resisting his captors and screaming about "an invisible bat". Harvey had just shook his head to the nearby reporters covering the Joker's capture.  
  
"Remember Bullock, this is Gotham; anything can happen."  
  
"Yeah, I know. City of the free, the brave, a psychotic rogues gallery, and winged vigilantes."  
  
"Then of course- Hey, what's that?"  
  
Officer Montoya had pointed to a nearby warehouse. Harvey strained his eyes towards it.  
  
"Ah, it's nothing. I'd say- Huh?"  
  
Harvey had seen it too. A bright flash of light had appeared through one of the warehouses' windows.  
  
"I knew this wasn't a normal city when I moved out here.  
  
"What do you say we check it out?"  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
The two GCPD officers cautiously approached the front of the warehouse. Harvey took one last puff of his cigar and then threw it to the ground, grinding his heel into it as he pulled out his revolver. The big bear of a man pounded on the door.  
  
"All right, who's in there? This is Harvey Bullock of the GCPD; open up!"  
  
There was silence. Harvey pounded again.  
  
"This is Harvey Bullock! Open up the-"  
  
Harvey never got to finish his statement. The warehouse door suddenly exploded with an eerie green light, throwing Bullock and Montoya back a few yards.  
  
"What the hell was that?" a dazed Bullock muttered.  
  
"A blight upon the land."  
  
Bullock looked up. Where the front entrance had been was now a gaping hole, with a man emerging from the pale, green smoke. Behind him, Bullock could see what appeared to be a ring of metal, pulsing with light and electricity. In short, it looked like something out of the episodes of the Twilight Zone or Star Trek that Harvey secretly enjoyed watching.  
  
But it wasn't the portal that caught Bullock's eye.  
  
It was the man.  
  
He was clothed in what appeared to be the tattered remains of a business suit; Harvey couldn't be sure what brand it was.  
  
But it wasn't the suit that had shocked him.  
  
It was the man's skin. It was glowing with the same eerie green glow that had engulfed the door moments earlier. As with an X-ray, Harvey could make out this man's skeletal structure with ease. The man stopped and gazed at Bullock.  
  
"Harvey Bullock, you said?"  
  
Bullock was too shocked to speak.  
  
"Harvey Bullock or not? Tell me or-" the man raised his hand and a orb of green energy materialized. "-you won't live to see another day."  
  
Under normal circumstances, Harvey Bullock was known to be calm and cool against the worst scum and villains that plagued Gotham City night after night, day after day. But in this case, he could make an exception.  
  
"Yes, I'm Harvey Bullock!!" he shrieked.  
  
A dark green flashed through the man's eyes.  
  
A flash of unparallel anger and fury.  
  
"No…NO!!!!!!!! I went back FORTY years instead of only FOUR!"  
  
He gazed again at the two GCPD officers and then over at the group of other officers and reporters. He smiled and raised his hands and the two, larger orbs of glowing energy materialized.  
  
"Ah not matter. I am still early enough. For I am Blight and everything I touch shall wither and die!"  
  
***  
  
Batman's eyes, or rather, everyone's widened with shock at Terry's statement.  
  
"The legacy is destroyed? How?!" the Dark Knight asked. Terry sighed.  
  
"If I hadn't intervened, then the Joker would have kidnapped Robin and hid him away in the ruins of the old Arkham Asylum. Drake would have undergone three straight weeks of torture and brainwashing."  
  
"Arkham…That would make sense. In fact the Joker escaped last month during the transferring of the inmates to the new facility," Batgirl stated.  
  
Terry paused a moment,   
  
"The Clown finally made his move by sending you an invitation of sorts."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A straitjacket."  
  
The Tomorrow Knight paused again, letting the meaning of his words sink in before continuing.  
  
"You and Batgirl arrived to find that the Joker had turned Drake into his…son. In the resulting battle, Harley apparently falls to her death and the clown is…"  
  
"The Joker would have been what? You can tell us; it's all right."  
  
"The Joker would have been shot to death." Terry looked up at his mentors-to-be.  
  
"By Tim."  
  
There was a long, long moment of silence in the Batcave. Finally, Robin broke the silence.  
  
"What happened to me after I- killed him?"  
  
"You would have given up the mantle of the Boy Wonder after a year of therapy with Bruce's old associate, Dr. Leslie Tompkins."  
  
Terry turned to Batgirl.  
  
"You would leave shortly afterwards as well."  
"What about me?"  
  
Terry regarded the Aerial Avenger of Bludhaven for a moment before replying.  
  
"To be honest, I'm not really sure what happens to you, Mr. Grayson. I know you're still alive, but no one wants to-"  
  
Whatever Terry was going to say was interrupted by one of the Batcave's klaxons going off. Batgirl rushed up to the Batcomputer and Bruce came up behind her.  
  
'What is it?"  
  
"Sensor equipment at Wayne Enterprises has just registered a large radiation surge coming from the warehouse district."  
  
Terry quickly joined them. Bruce looked at the Tomorrow Knight.  
  
"Anything you might know of?"  
  
"It could be that time portal I came through. Can you call the sensor data, Barbara?"  
  
"Sure, give me a sec-wait, there's a news report coming in. I'm putting it on."  
  
The Gotham Nightly News materialized on the screen, flashing 'Breaking Bulletin".   
  
"This is Vesper Fairchild reporting from the Gotham Warehouse district, where the GCPD is unable to stop a mysterious, glowing assailant that attacked the task force transporting the recently recaptured criminal known as the Joker to Arkham."  
  
Behind her, Bruce could see detectives Harvey Bullock, Rene Montoya, and a good number of other police officers fighting for their lives amidst the burning warehouses, against-  
  
Terry drew in a sharp intake of breath.  
  
"No, it can't be," the newest Batman whispered. Nightwing turned his head towards Terry.  
  
"Someone you know?"  
  
"Yes, someone who should, by all accounts, be dead. He calls himself Blight, but his real name is Derek Powers."  
  
Now it was Bruce's turn for his jaw to drop.  
  
"You don't mean Derek Powers of Powers Technology, do you?"  
  
"The one and only," Terry murmured as he fell into the Batcomputer's chair. Dick Grayson looked over at his mentor.  
  
"Do you know this guy?"  
  
Bruce nodded.  
  
"Yes, he's the founder of one of Wayne Enterprises' newest competitors. I'm not worried about him yet, but-"  
  
"Well, you should," Terry said. "In my timeline, Powers takes over Wayne Enterprises shortly after you- retire. He's more or less a monster. He turns the renamed Wayne-Powers Incorporated towards shady and illegitimate dealings. It culminates finally, four years ago from my point of view, into selling a form of nerve gas to Eastern Europe."  
  
Terry was silent for a long moment, struggling to find the words that would describe his role in Derek Powers' eventual downfall.  
  
"My father, Warren McGinnis, found out and Powers had him killed, making the perpetrators seem to be a gang of Jokerz."  
  
"Jokerz?"  
  
"A series of gangs that model their crimes and behavior after your old nemesis; trust me, they've proven to be a big thorn in my side during my time as the Tomorrow Knight. Anyway, I discovered the truth about his death and the nerve gas. I went to you asking for help in bringing Powers down."  
  
The original Dark Knight's face bore no expression.   
  
"I get the feeling I said no."  
  
Terry grinned.  
  
"Yeah, and as a result I sort of borrowed the suit. But to make a long story short, I stopped the shipment, but Powers was exposed to the gas. Radiation treatment transformed him-" Terry pointed to the Batcomputer screen, "-into Blight. After that, you took me under your wing."  
  
Terry watched the screen for a moment before speaking again.  
  
"The last time I fought Blight was three years ago by my timeframe. His identity, concealed through a radioactive resistant synthetic skin, was accidentally exposed. I and his son Paxton tracked him to an abandoned nuclear submarine. He more or less destroyed the submarine and took himself with it. The body was never recovered, but so far, the GCPD, you, and me, Bruce, have classified him as dead."  
  
Bruce was silent this whole time, watching the images of Blight throwing out orbs of glowing radiation at the men and women he considered allies in his fight to avenge his parents. It was a long moment before the Dark Knight spoke again.  
  
"Dick, Barbara, you're with me. Tim, stay here and watch over our guest-"  
  
Terry sprung out of his chair.  
  
"Whoa, hold it. You're not going without me."  
  
"Look, listen; we're grateful that you saved Tim's life, but-"  
  
"No, YOU listen! If that is Blight, then you need my help. That man is literally a walking meltdown. I know how to handle him, but you don't. It's bad enough if he's taken down several GCPD officers, but if he takes you down…it could very well destroy both Gotham's and my future."  
  
Batman glared at him and then finally spoke.  
  
"All right, you're in. Tell us how to take this Blight down…"  
  
Terry grinned. He grabbed the upper half of the future Batsuit from Grayson and pulled it on over his torso, flexing his muscles as he did. Batgirl giggled slightly, receiving a dirty look from Nightwing.  
  
"What?" asked Terry.  
  
"Nothing, nothing."  
  
"That's enough, Barbara. Dick and I will take the Batwing. Barbara, take one of the Batcycles. Terry, you said the suit had flight capabilities."  
  
"Yes," stated the Tomorrow Knight, hitting the micro controls and grinning with glee as the red wings slid out of the suit's arms. "They're kind of limited in the practical sense, but with the rocket boots, they'll work fine. Thanks to your generator, the suit's charge is back at full power."  
  
Tim grinned with glee and amazement as well as the Tomorrow Knight lifted of the ground.  
  
"Now I have got to get me one of those," the Boy Wonder cackled.  
  
"Shut up Tim," Nightwing shot.  
  
Bruce nodded grimly.  
  
"All right, let's do it!"  
  
  
To be continued.  
  
Thanks to everyone for being patient for the lack of updates. Chapter V will be up before the week is out. 


	5. Encounters and Rencounters

Disclaimer: Batman Beyond and the characters are owned by Warner Brothers and are   
based on characters appearing in DC Comics. I own the story and any original characters.   
No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Hero's Choice: Part V  
  
Terry tried to look straight ahead as he raced alongside the Bat-wing across the night sky above Gotham. He was trying to keep his mind of the battle that he and Bruce's team was mere minutes away from fighting. Trying not to think of Blight…  
  
Still, Terry couldn't help but wonder how the greatest nemesis of the future Batman had made his way back to the present. Or how he had survived the betrayal of his devious son Paxton. The body had never been recovered from the wreck of that submarine, and there had been no trail of radioactive particles on the ocean floor.  
  
Meanwhile, Bruce's own investigations had allowed him to locate the research notes from Derek's scientists. The original; Batman's resulting theory was that the process of radioactive treatments to counteract Derek Powers' exposure to nerve gas, which had created Blight in the first place, had been on going. In short, it was turning him into pure energy, eventually dissolving him into pure radiation."  
  
  
"Terry."  
  
The click of the comlink and the hiss of Grayson's voice brought Terry back to his senses.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"So, just how bad is this Blight?"  
  
"Compared to the Rouges Gallery in your Gotham?"  
  
"Yes".  
  
Terry paused for a moment to consider.  
  
"Think of Mr. Freeze armed with a nuclear particle accelerator."  
  
"Like the one from Ghostbustetrs?"  
  
Terry allowed a slight grin. Even in the 2140's, that film was still a cult-classic.  
  
"Yes. And then think ten times that."  
  
The Tomorrow Knight heard the sigh on the other end of the communication.  
  
"Ouch"  
  
"That bad, huh?"  
  
Batgirl butted in as well.  
  
"Wow. And I thought our villains were bad enough."  
  
Terry briefly contemplated telling them about his own run-ins with fiends like Inque,  
Curare, Spellbinder, Mad Stan, and so many other creatures of insanity. But he decided  
against it. There would be time for it later…if there WAS a later.  
  
"Any recommendations on how we can take him out?"  
  
"Blight's essentially a walking meltdown. My suit offers me some protection, but it wasn't  
designed for such high levels of radiation. I'd recommend electric Batarangs. It's what I   
used when Blight took on Mr. Freeze and myself-"  
  
"What?"  
  
Terry looked through the canopy at the Batman. The mention of the frigid villain had peaked the Dark Knight's interest.  
  
"I've, uh, had the 'pleasure' of dealing with several of your personal enemies in my time."  
  
"Which ones," asked Nightwing?  
  
"Mr. Freeze, Bane, Ra's al Ghul-"  
  
Terry spared a quick glance at the cockpit, noting that Bruce's eyes narrowed at the mention of the Demon's Head. And after the incident with Talia, Terry had finally began to understand why Ra's had been such a most formidable - and different - foe for his mentor and friend.  
  
"'-and the Joker."  
  
Terry heard the gasp coming from Nightwing and even Bruce himself raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You said that in your future, Tim killed the Joker, right?."  
  
The Tomorrow Knight sighed. He had known that this would be brought up sooner or later. He was reluctant to tell of the surgical procedure that had more or less turned Tim Drake into a 'were-Joker' as Terry had described it to Tim after the final death of the Clown Prince of Crime.   
  
"Yes and- look out!"  
  
Terry hit the suit's piloting controls and made a sharp turn to the right, narrowly missing a lance of green, glowing energy. They had been so busy talking that Terry hadn't even realized that they had made it to their destination. The last shot had obviously been There it was, the warehouse district, complete with police barricades, and a radioactive madman who's out to get me, thought Terry.  
  
"Bruce, bring the Batwing behind the warehouses; I'll take Blight!  
  
***  
  
Blight was enjoying every moment of this as he . True, the Chrono-portal had deposited him in the wrong time period, but it was all right. So long as he could destroy that legacy that had led to the birth of he who had destroyed Derek Powers and made him into-  
  
"BLIGHT!"  
  
The radioactive fiend turned his head-  
  
-and his eyes glared with a vengeful look of rage and shock. A figure in jet-black with a stylized red bat on his chest that had bested him descended from on high, the one who had caused his own life to descend into its present state.  
  
"YOU?! How did you get here?"  
  
"That's exactly what I was going to ask you, Derek."  
  
"Derek no longer exists. There is only Blight. But then, you know the purpouse of two lives, don't you…Terry."  
  
***  
  
Outside, as always, the Tomorrow Knight remained neutral. Inside, he was shocked. How did Blight know? Well, he already knew the answer to that. It was probably Terry's fault for revealing that Powers had killed his father. In the three years since his presumed death, Derek must have put two-and-two together and deduced his true identity.  
  
" Even if you're right-"  
  
"You KNOW What I mean. I know who you are.  
  
"But it really wouldn't matter because we've both changed history by just being here."  
  
"And bring the legacy of the Bats together."  
  
Terry didn't need to look around to see Batman and Nightwing take their positions besides the Tomorrow Knight, fists raised and electric Batarangs ready for action.  
  
"A legacy that I shall now vaporize for no one hates your legacy more than I."  
  
Blight raised his hands, energy swirling They stood there, both generations of heroes, prepared to face one of the greatest enemies of past, present, and future-  
  
-when the Police prison wagon that had been unattended since the arrival of the time traveler simply exploded, sending shrapnel flying everyway. It caught the attention of everyone there, even Blight. Bruce's eyes suddenly widened and Terry instantly saw why.  
  
The side of the vehicle was gone, cut open in the shape of a grotesque grin. Based on the size of the explosion, Terry was guessing it had been done with concentrated liquid explosive. And emerging from that grotesque grin was the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker wearing the tattered remains of a straightjacket above his magenta suit.  
  
"Who are you kidding? No one hates Bats like me! Who gave you the right to kill him, glow boy? No one stands in the way of my killing Batsy, you hear me?! No one!!"  
  
To be continued… 


End file.
